The present invention relates in general to the field of skylight structures and, in particular, to a shutter assembly for a skylight which is located on the interior side of the skylight.
Skylight are becoming increasingly popular, both in residential and commercial buildings. A skylight is desirable from an aesthetic standpoint in that it permits the substitution of daylight for electric light in a building. This results in lowered usage of electrical lighting, as well as providing a more natural color balance in interior lighting.
One problem associated with skylights is that, due to its ceiling-mounted location, it is generally not convenient to control the light coming through the skylight by means of curtains and draperies and the like. While it has been proposed to mount venetian-type blinds below a skylight across a light well to control the amount of light entering a room through the skylight, these blinds are often difficult to mount and operate.
Another problem associated with skylights is that typically a skylight has a lower insulating value than the surrounding ceiling structure. Consequently, it is desirable, at least in colder climates, to cover the skylight to reduce structural heating required in cold weather. It has been proposed to utilize insulating boxes which are placed over the skylight on the exterior of the skylight during cold weather. Also, it has been proposed to utilize transparent plastic films which are attached with adhesive tape to cover the light well during cold weather. However, these impromptu insulating provisions are not practical when either the exterior roof of the building slants at a steep angle, or the interior ceiling is at a great elevation, as with cathedral-type ceilings.